Raghunathpur: Even as the month of Shravan is about to end, there is scanty rainfall in Jagatsinghpur district. Most of the blocks in the district have gone without any farming activities this Kharif season, a source said.
The drought situation is far more critical in farmlands under Raghunathpur block in the district, as there is no water supply in a branch irrigation canal. As a result, improper irrigation facility has failed to propel Kharif farming activities on 50 hectare of lands in Jagatsinghpur district.
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On the other hand, stone boulders dropping down into an irrigation canal that is located under Cuttack-Paradip railway line have blocked the flow of canal water and aggravated water woes. Similarly, irrigation canal No.-7 at Machhagaon area under Balia sub-division officer (SDO) and Balikuda irrigation office limits under Raghunathpur block face the same fate.
“As the block administration is in limbo, cleaning of the irrigation canal has not been carried out for past several months. This has hampered Kharif crops in the region”, some local farmers lamented.
“Despite informing the irrigation department engineer concerned, no step has been taken so far”, Jagatsinghpur district unit secretary of Krushak Sangathan Babaji Charan Jena fumed.
On being contacted, the department engineer Jagetri Barik said, “Local Pani Panchayat has been empowered for the purpose. However, the problem will be sorted out within two to three days”.
Local farmers have demanded a permanent solution to the problem and warned of agitation if their demands are not addressed.
PNN